The recent study published in the journal NeuroImage has opened its window on the connection between short-video addiction and brain activity. Results show that participants spending more time on short-video platforms, such as TikTok and other social media, show increased activity within brain networks controlling emotional regulation and reward processing.
This indicates that these video platforms cause changes in the brain’s areas associated with feelings and motivations. Additionally, the study indicated physical changes within the orbitofrontal cortex and cerebellum. These brain areas are involved in decision-making and motor control.
The increasing usage of apps such as TikTok and Instagram Reels raises questions about the influence on mental health and behavior. The subjects were comprised of 111 college students aged between 17 and 30, all of whom were regular users of short-video platforms.
The researchers conducted high-resolution MRI scans, providing very detailed imaging data of the brain, while transcriptomic analysis was done to search for specific genes that might be responsible for the difference in the brain changes within users having different levels of addiction.
The results underscore that in adolescence, when habits and behaviors, including the potential for addiction to short videos, start to develop, is a very critical period of vulnerability to constant video consumption and what changes it can make to brain functioning and development.